


A Thorn In Your Fate

by Flutterbat



Series: Destiny By Blood [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Heroes, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: A bit of worry, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bad Future, Bad Future is probably a spoiler, Canon Divergence, Daddy Issues, Father-Son Relationship, Friendship, Gen, Multiple Points of View, Not much romance in general actually, Not much shipping here, Relationships Only Mentioned - Freeform, Small bit of angst, alternative universe, more questions than answers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-19
Updated: 2018-04-14
Packaged: 2019-02-04 10:17:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12768921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flutterbat/pseuds/Flutterbat
Summary: War changes people. So does grief. And all too often it is the innocent that suffer the consequences.A short story where Alfonse awkwardly tries to uncover the truth behind some of Askr's latest recruits.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Editted: 24/11/17 - Tidied up some spelling mistakes, grammar and missing words; also fixed some sentences so they are less.. clunky sounding.

The war between Embla and Askr had brought many heroes from across many realms and universes to their world: likely heroes, unlikely heroes, heroes plucked seconds before their death, heroes taken from the moment of their greatest triumph. It certainly made for some interesting (and at times tense) conversation in the mess hall.

Right now, Alfonse was looking at two of their newer recruits as they sat talking on a bench in the castle’s great hall. One was a very tall, somewhat lanky teenager with cherry red hair cut into a terrible mullet clutching something very long covered with a dirty cloth. His companion was a muscular teen with wild, bushy lilac hair held down with a plaited band. He too had a mysterious package, but this was tied to his back. “For safe keeping,” the teen had said, when he’d fallen out of the summoning circle; they had both refused to reveal what they carried.

Alfonse didn’t know them; neither did Anna or Sharena. The commander and his sister were busy pouring over books in the castle libraries to try and find some information on who they might be. Clearly they must be children of note otherwise they would not have been summoned, but both of them had been reluctant to talk when they arrived, and even more eager to avoid the gatherings where the tactics against Embla were discussed. The only clues they had were the clothes the boys were wearing - the lanky teen, who had introduced himself simply as ‘Bertie’ was dressed in something they’d come to know as distinctly Hoshidan; the muscular teen styled himself as ‘Shin’ and was bedecked in Nohrian clothing. As they had arrived at the same time, they had gravitated naturally towards each other and were often found in the other’s company.

Putting aside his own reservations about getting too close to visiting heroes again, he decided to try and get them to open up. Chances were that Kiran would pair them up with him for training at some point and it would be good to get them to be more personable. He approached them and cleared his throat to get their attention. The boys stopped talking and stared at him.

“Hello,” said Alfonse. “How are you settling in?”

“Good,” said Shin, while Bertie said at the same time, “Well.”

They didn’t offer anything else, if anything Alfonse thought they looked afraid. Silence hung awkwardly in the air. “It’s nice to see you two getting along so well,” said Alfonse. “I understand from some of our other guests that your home kingdoms are not always on the best of terms.”

Shin snorted “That’s an understatement,” but Bertie then nudged him and he looked abashed. “Uh, sorry, your highness. Thanks for being nice.”

“No matter,” said Alfonse.

The boys didn’t offer any more conversation so there was yet more awkward silence.

Alfonse offered another question, perhaps they had been in Askr long enough to feel comfortable enough to reveal what they had carried. “What is that you carry around Bertie?” He pointed at the cloth covered item that he was currently clutching.

“Nothing,” said Bertie all too quickly, but that was all he said.

Alfonse sighed. Sharena was so much better at this than he was, perhaps he should have gone to the library instead instead of her. He tried again. “Do you like Askr?”

“Yeah, it’s nice,” said Shin.

“I agree with Shin, it’s very beautiful here,” added Bertie. His gaze quickly dropped to the floor.

“Great,” said Alfonse, silently cursing his ability to not do small talk. He decided to cut his loses and leave. “Well, you two look …busy… so if there is anything you need, just let me or my sister or the commander know.”

“No problem, Your Highness!” said Shin with a big grin. “Smell ya later!”

That signalled the end of their conversation; Shin had all of the discretion of a battering ram. Alfonse politely smiled at both of them, bid them farewell and left to find his sister and the commander.

***

A few days later after his unsuccessful attempt to speak with Bertie and Shin, Alfonse had been assigned by Anna to lead a group of some of their new recruits against Emblan forces. ("For experience" she said) Shin was to take the left flank, while two other new recruits, Faye and Amelia, would cover them from the back. It was all going well until they had come had come face to face with one of Princess Veronica’s more fearsome generals, the Nohrian prince known as Xander.

His team did not enough skill yet to deal with such a fearsome enemy, so Alfonse ordered his platoon to pull back; Amelia and Faye doing as he said but Shin was nowhere to be seen and Alfonse worried that he had been picked off by an Emblan sniper. When they got back to the castle, Sharena had told him that Shin had already returned and was refusing to come out of his room, or talk to anyone.

***

Alfonse felt nothing but annoyance towards Shin following that incident. However that changed the following week when Kiran held the next summoning ceremony. They had managed to procure enough orbs to summon 5 heroes and when the High Prince of Hoshido appeared from the final orb the hall was a buzz of excitement. As Anna approached their latest recruits to welcome them to the order, Sharena stood beside her brother and excitedly said it was great that Ryoma had joined them and that had to be a good thing if they were going to face Veronica’s strongest warriors. Alfonse turned to say something to her but was distracted by a visibly unsettled Bertie running from the the hall. Shin was stood separately from the throng of people, looking wistfully at the group of new arrivals. He had reached towards the package on his back, gently touching it.

“Hey Alfonse, are you okay? You’ve gone quiet!”

It twigged something in Alfonse’s mind so he asked her while the thought was still fresh in his head.

“I’m fine Sharena, don’t worry. Hey… did you and the commander come any closer to finding out where Shin and Bertie are from or who they are?”

“Oh no, but the books that cover Nohrian and Hoshidan history are so big and there are so many of them! We still have loads to go through. It’s a real mess, it’s like whoever wrote them couldn’t decide how their shared history went. We did notice a few consistencies though!”

“Oh? Like what?”

Alfonse listened intently as Sharena explained, an idea of who Bertie and Shin might really be forming in his mind.

***

Later, Alfonse went to their quarters, determined to find out directly from both of them what the truth was. As he approached the door, he heard two voices arguing.

“You don’t understand, if I go with you and he finds out who I am, he’ll kill me!”

“I’m telling you man, you’ve got it completely wrong! He was helping that girl, what’s her name - Fir? with her sword techniques earlier, he’s totally chill. That’s hardly the sign of the angry murdering psychopath you say he is!”

“Well excuse me for not wanting to give him that chance!”

“You’re over-reacting!”

“ _I’m over-reacting?!_ Says the guy who ran away from Prince Xander! Why should I give Prince Ryoma a chance if you’re not willing to extend the same courtesy to him?!”

“That was different!”

“No it wasn’t!”

Alfonse frowned - it wasn’t good when heroes fought among themselves. He knocked sharply on the door. The voices went quiet.

“I need to come in,” said Alfonse. There was rustling and angry whispering on the other side of the door, then Shin opened it.

“Hey Prince Alfonse. You wanna talk to Bertie? Go ahead, I was just leaving.” Shin looked back over his shoulder and said sharply to Bertie. “I’m going to talk to him tomorrow, and you can’t stop me.”

Shin moved to go past him, but Alfonse caught his arm. “No,” he said. “You’re both staying right here. We need to talk.”

Bertie said nothing but looked stricken, he sat down on his bed and slumped, defeated. Shin rolled his eyes and huffed but moved back into the room and sat next to his companion. Silence hung in the air, again, (Alfonse thought this was a key feature of his interactions with most of the visiting heroes, but especially with these two) before Bertie broke the silence and blurted out “You have to send me home as soon as possible. I can’t stay here. _Please._ ”

Alfonse crossed his arms and looked intensely at Bertie and then at Shin. “Alright,” he said. “But first, I want to know the truth. You’ve been acting cagey ever since you arrived in Askr and if the Order of Heroes is to be successful in it’s mission we have to trust each other. Shin, running away from the battlefield and leaving your team mates is _not_ okay. And Bertie, everyone saw you leaving the summoning ceremony before it had finished. I don’t think either of you trust a lot of people do you?”

Bertie swallowed hard and then stared hard at the floor. “No,” was all he said.

“Bertie, Shin” said Alfonse. He paused. It was time to test out his theory. “Or should I say… Siegbert and Shinonome. What’s going on?”

Bertie’s head snapped up and looked straight at Alfonse, wide-eyed like a deer cornered in a hunt. Shin just gasped and then said, “How did you figure it out?”

 

***

  
Finding no point in hiding any more, both of the boys had been very forthcoming with the information on their back stories and now Alfonse had found himself recounting everything they had told him to Commander Anna.

  
When he had finished, all she could say was “Woah,” followed by “That’s pretty intense.”

Alfonse had explained that Bertie, (or Siegbert as he should be called) had revealed to him that in the universe he had been pulled from, Hoshido and Nohr had been engaged in an especially brutal war. There had been atrocities on both sides but the war had spiralled to a head when Second Prince Takumi of Hoshido had been killed by Nohrian forces lead by Crown Prince Xander in a battle near a deep canyon. At the same time, Second Princess Elise of Nohr had died of a sickness after being denied medicine by Hoshidan forces lead by High Prince Ryoma as they occupied a healing station.

Simultaneously enraged and distraught over the loss of their younger siblings and blaming each other directly for their family's losses, the High Prince and the Crown Prince had hunted each other down and fought a terrible and bloody duel to the death. In Siegbert’s world, Prince Ryoma had driven his holy blade Raijinto straight through his rival’s chest and killed him, thus winning the war for Hoshido. The Hoshidan leader had then claimed dominion over the continent, installing a puppet ruler for Nohr and then seeking to purge the land of any trace of his rival.

Siegbert had also revealed that his mother was a Hoshidan princess who had against all odds and instinct, fallen in love with the Crown Prince of Nohr. They had embarked on a very sensual and emotive love affair and towards the war's end she discovered she was carrying his child. However, when she heard that her lover had been killed in single combat, and the plans her brother had put forward in regards to dealing with any lingering trace of him, she had retreated to the border lands to birth and raise her child in secret, away from those that would do him harm. (The High Prince was no longer a man she recognised, explained Siegbert. He would not listen to reason.)

The High Prince had also claimed Nohr’s holy blade Siegfried as a trophy against the conquered nation, but in the years that followed many thieves and adventurers had tried to win it back. The latest group of adventurers had gotten further than any group that came before them and by some twist of divine fate were fleeing through the lands Siegbert and his mother called home, the blade finally in their possession. Siegbert had been caught in the skirmish trying to escape (his mother had insisted that he must not ever get involved with King Ryoma’s men) and in the confusion and scuffles the blade had landed at his feet. He had picked it up and it erupted in his hand - the wonder on the faces of the Nohrian soldiers as the blade blazed still etched in his mind as he was summoned to Askr.

Shin’s tale mirrored Siegbert’s, almost exactly. His full name was Shinonome (“but you can call me Shiro if you want. That’s what my mom calls me when I’m not in trouble!”) and in his world, High Prince Ryoma had been slain by Crown Prince Xander; and Nohr had been victorious in war.

Shinonome’s mother was a Nohrian Princess who had met the High Prince as they had both worked undercover in a land called Cheve. They had had a very passionate and physical affair and before long, she had fallen pregnant with a child fathered by her brother's greatest and most dangerous rival. When news broke of the duel and it's outcome, she too retreated to somewhere remote in the border regions to raise her child and to avoid his purge of any and all things that might be traced to Ryoma.

Raijinto had been claimed by Nohr in Shinonome’s world but Hoshidan ninjas had spent many years trying to reclaim it. Like the adventurers from Siegbert's world, they too were fleeing with the blade in hand when they had passed through his homelands; King Xander's men in hot pursuit of them. When the military had finally caught up with them, a fierce fight had erupted. And like with Siegbert’s story, Shinonome had found the blade at his feet in the skirmish and picked it up with the intension of handing back just so the cavaliers and knights would leave. Instead it had come life in his hand, much to the shock of the Nohrians and the excitement of the Ninjas. That was the last thing Shiro remembered before he had been pulled into Askr.

“There’s a lot here that doesn’t make sense,” mused Anna. “For starters, all the books we have read so far on Hoshido and Nohr paint Ryoma and Xander as paragon leaders who are noble, just and reasonable. Surely they would never resort to a campaign of extermination to the extent Siegbert and Shiro describe.”

Alfonse shrugged, “War changes people. So does grief.”

Anna hummed. “It’s nice that the boys both get along so well with each other despite what happened though. I guess they feel like kindred spirits somewhat, even with the history hanging between then, it shows there is hope for the future. Still, what to do…?”

“I suppose we should have been prepared for this,” said Alfonse. “When you think about it, it was inevitable that something like this was bound to happen.”

“Yes,” said Anna. “But I’m sure Sharena has already told you just how many books there are on Hoshido and Nohr - they take up a whole wing in the library! It’s like their shared history keeps changing based on the direction the winds blow. We never would have been able to prepare for this.”

“If I understand Kiran correctly, if we send them home then they are going to be deposited in the exact moment they were taken,” mused Alfonse. “They don’t want to stay here and I can’t blame them... but there will be no peace for them if they go home. We may even be sending them to their deaths.”

“An unfortunate consequence of summoning,” said Anna. “But we knew that when we looked up the history of Jugdral after Lord Eldigan arrived.”

Alfonse frowned. “Has anything been written about the fates of Siegbert and Shinonome?”

“No. Nothing that goes into detail anyway. Just that after the war Siegbert was born to Xander as his heir; likewise Shinonome is always Ryoma’s first born child. Although…” Anna smiled mischeviously, “It was really interesting to note that in the universes where they live to sire children, the Prince of Nohr’s head is always turned by a high-born pegasus knight, and the Prince of Hoshido appears to be quite the fan of wyvern riders... especially malig knights.”

Alfonse frowned. “Commander Anna, this is serious.”

“Yes, yes. I know,” she replied airily. “I’d say we need to speak to the Ryoma that just arrived here. He seems fairly relaxed and decent and not the tyrant Siegbert describes. Perhaps he can help us with our problem. Y’know, he can talk to them.”

Alfonse smiled grimly, he wasn’t sure he liked it but he didn’t have any better ideas. “I hope your plan works then, Commander. I really do.”


	2. The High Prince of Hoshido

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Siegbert and Shiro discuss their situation, and Shiro resolves to speak with Ryoma.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So the original story got a better reception than I hoped (yay) and to celebrate 'Bertie' and 'Shin' coming home in my FEH run, I've been working on this little follow up on and off for the past month and a bit. Hooray for holidays meaning I can finish it!
> 
> I borrowed some of Ryoma's dialogue from his FEH lines- it just seemed to fit quite well.

After Alfonse left, Siegbert and Shiro sat, for what felt like a long time, in silence. Siegbert sat on his hands, staring deeply at the patterns that swirled on the floor; Shiro sat upright but had almost curled himself into a ball, his knees tucked under his chin, arms crossed in front of him as he gazed off into the distance.

“I don’t want to fight with you,” said Shiro eventually, breaking the silence.

“Neither do I,” replied Siegbert quietly. “We may come from different worlds but when it comes down to it… we’re family. And I don’t have an awful lot of it left where I come from. I don’t want to lose you.”

Shiro uncurled himself slightly and smiled sadly. “Yeah. Me too.”

There was a pause in the conversation and then Siegbert said, “I’m sorry I got upset.”

Shiro shook his head. “Nah man, it’s cool. I understand. Don’t worry about it.”

“No,” Siegbert persisted. “I was being selfish.”

Shiro sighed, Siegbert turned his head slightly to look at his cousin. In the short time that he’d known him, Shiro had always come across as outgoing and friendly; a somewhat upbeat individual - quite the feat given the circumstances, but right now, he looked as if he might cry. Shiro turned his head to look at him, and Siegbert saw the confident facade of a young man drop, replaced by that of a frightened boy. “I… I have to talk to him, Bertie. I have to. This magic lightning sword landed at my feet and some intense ninja dudes were cheering me like I was some sorta saviour or something. I don’t know how to… There’s so much I need too… that I want…” Shiro swallowed. “I can’t do this at home.”  
  
Siegbert placed a hand on Shiro’s shoulder and squeezed. “It’s okay,” he said, “I understand… I’m in a similar position.” Shiro sniffed but stiffened his back, as if he was repressing the emotions that threatened to pour out of him.

The boys fell quiet again, before Siegbert spoke again. “Hey Shiro… I don’t want to be insensitive but, um, I was wondering… what… what was he like? I mean, when you saw him… when you were out with Alfonse?”

It took Shiro a minute to figure out who Siegbert was referring too. A whirl of emotions swept over him. _You mean what did I think of the guy that might have killed my dad?_

He chewed his lip, that wasn’t right. His mother always said he rushed into things too much and had to learn to be a little less brash. There was no proof that the Xander fighting for Embla was _that_ Xander, and if Siegbert was trying to be fair then he had to as well. Mentally he discarded the first thoughts that had come to him ( _damn scary, my friend_ ), and settled on something more neutral. “He’s tall,” he replied. “Really, really… tall”. He turned to look at Siegbert. “I mean, he was on a horse but you could just tell, y’know?” He smiled softly. “It’s really obvious that’s where you got it from.”

Siegbert smiled in return and then looked at the floor again. “Hah… yes. Mother said once that he was tall.” He paused again before adding, “…I don’t really know that much about him. I don’t like to ask… Mother gets sad when I do.”

“Yeah,” said Shiro. “My mom does too.”

“Shiro?”

“Yeah?”

“If you do talk to to… _him_ … just… don’t bring him to our room, okay? I… need a bit more time.”

Shiro smiled a little more broadly this time. “You’ve got it, my friend.”

***

Shiro remembered an occasion that his mother had told him he had more courage than sense, but it suddenly he felt like he had neither. How hard could it really be to speak to one person? In theory, it should have been straight forward. He would go up to the High Prince and strike up a conversation, they would bond, he’d get some closure (and maybe some tips on the lightning katana) and it would all be great. But now he had resolved to talk to his ‘father’, there did not seem to be a good time. Suddenly there seemed to be a whole lot more people around hanging around Askr’s castle - either that, or Ryoma seemed to be the kind of guy that people gravitated too and wanted to hang out with. Whenever Shiro thought it would be a good moment to catch him, Ryoma was always with someone else: talking to them, advising them, listening to them, training them or sparring with them and more than once he had lost his nerve and run away.

On what felt like his hundredth attempt to find and speak to Ryoma alone, Shiro had risen early and gone to the training grounds. Siegbert had been very supportive regarding the situation, and patient too - commiserating with Shiro after very failed attempted. The night before this latest attempt, Siegbert had commented that swordmasters had rigorous kata to work through alone; often they did so in the morning so it that might be a good time for his friend to catch him. Shiro had decided that was a good idea (despite the early rise) and had decided to follow his friend’s advice.

However, when he arrived at the training tower he was utterly dismayed to find that his plan once again had been thwarted: Ryoma was indeed there, but he was yet again not alone. He was duelling quite intently with a blue-haired knight dressed in white. It was clear that both men were skilled with a blade; Shiro watched in awe as Ryoma moved like a river, flowing from one movement to another - swift, powerful and fluid with his blade gleaming and crackling in his hand. The blue-haired knight was no push over but eventually with a twist of his body, a flip, and a kick Ryoma disarmed his opponent and Blue-Hair-Guy yielded. The two shook hands sheaved their blades and Blue-Hair-Guy left… and then to Shiro’s utter shock Ryoma turned around and looked Shiro straight in the eye.

“Can I help you, young Nohrian?”

If he was honest with himself, when Shiro was younger and things were really tough, he had fantasised that his father wasn’t really dead. One day he’d return and find him and his mother, and they’d be a family again and life would be good. So, his young and naive child self had developed a whole heap of lines he’d prepared to say to his father when he returned, but now, faced with a situation he had only ever _dreamed_ of… words failed him.

Shiro's jaw fell open; he gawped like a fish and his throat went dry. Ryoma furrowed his brow as if concerned, but didn’t have time to comment further as Shiro rasped out, “Sorry, gotta go,” before he ran away.

***

Despite the early hour, he was grateful that Siegbert had gone out when he got back to their room. After bolting the door, he dived on to his bed and buried his face in his pillow, and screamed.

Ryoma had been _right there_ , it was a moment he had always wanted… and he hadn’t even managed to say hello. _What an idiot_.

***

After several hours of hiding, sulking and a good hard stare at the nicks and stains on the version of the Raijinto that had fallen at his feet, Shiro had decided he could no longer ignore the grumbles from his belly and headed to the dinner hall. He went alone, feeling a little guilty for not waiting for Siegbert, but he hadn’t returned at all during the day and Shiro’s stomach demanded he be selfish. The hall was quiet and he got straight to there serving area - picking up some chicken he’d learnt was ‘barbeque’ flavour (whatever that meant - something Kiran had introduced apparently but it was _really_ good) before sitting down at an empty bench and tucked in completely oblivious the world around him. He was staring so intently at his chicken dinner that he did not see the person approach him, and nearly choked with surprise when a deep, rich voice said, “May I join you?”

Shiro’s eye’s shot up and sweet dragons _it was him_ , oh gods, it really was _him_ , and he wanted to talk?!

Shiro swallowed heavily and again he struggled to find his voice.

“I understand if you would prefer to eat alone,” Ryoma said. “Hoshido and Nohr have a difficult history and I understand from Prince Alfonse that not everyone here is from the same world. I apologise in advance if I have done you wrong.”

 _That blue-haired frosted-tipped jerk. I’ll smash his face in next time I see him_. “What else did he tell you?” said Shiro carefully, finally finding his voice.

“That was all he could say,” said Ryoma. “It appears the library here has many books on our lands and he is privy to information on things that have not yet come to pass. I understand that he has to be discreet, but if would be a lie if I didn’t find it… vexing at times.”

Shiro watched him carefully and then said, “You can sit down if you want.” It felt a bit odd telling the High Prince of Hoshido he could be seated, Shiro wondered if he would be offended.

His worry was unfounded however; Ryoma said nothing and gracefully took a seat. Folding his arms in from of him he looked over Shiro very intensely to the extent that Shiro felt like shrinking completely underneath the table.

“I can not help but notice you have been watching me over the past couple of weeks,” said the high prince. It wasn’t an accusation but a statement of truth. “Yet you do not speak to me, and even this morning you ran away when I tried to converse with you.” His eyes narrowed slightly in suspicion. “Why?”

Shiro was rendered speechless -again- and a barrage of questions raced through his head; each one seemingly less and less appropriate as an icebreaker. _Which world are you from? Are you king? Do you know my mom in yours? Do you love her? Have I been born yet? How did you learn to fight? How long does it take to master a katana? How do you stop Raijinto from shooting lightning everywhere? How does it work anyway?_

_Was there really no other way?_

_..._

_….Why did you leave us all alone?_

He felt pinned by Ryoma’s unflinching gaze, and started to fell hot around the collar. Think, Shiro. So he mumbled out the most innocuous thing he could think of: “I just think your sword is really cool, okay?”

Ryoma's demeanour thawed. “Thank you,” he said, a small smile appearing on his face. “I inherited from my father but it has been passed down the line of Hoshidan kings for generations. It is weapon forged by the Gods for the defence of Hoshido, to be wielded by the monarch or the heir apparent depending on the circumstance…” He paused. “Forgive me, getting carried away.” He nodded at the package tied tightly to Shiro’s back. “Tell me of your own blade.”

Kicking himself for bringing it with him, Shiro said almost too quickly, “I don’t have one.”

Ryoma chuckled. “I achieved the rank of Swordmaster many moons ago. I know the shape of a concealed katana when I see one.”

Shiro went red. “Uhhh. It’s nothing, really. I found it lying around.” It wasn’t technically an untruth. “I’m not sure I’m allowed to have it.”

Ryoma frowned. “Then maybe you should give it back.”

Shiro wasn’t able to look at Ryoma any more so his gaze dropped to stare at the chicken bones on his plate. “I can’t,” he said more sadly than he would have liked.

The conversation stopped and he thought he heard Ryoma hum, before the High Prince said “Look at me.”

Feeling compelled to do so, Shiro met his gaze his stomach lurching as Ryoma scrutinised him again. “Alfonse told me your name was Shin. Was that correct?”

Shiro nodded and said nothing. Ryoma’s eyes narrowed again, and Shiro thought his small amount of goodwill seemingly evaporated but it was difficult for him to tell.

“When I spoke with Alfonse, both you and your friend came up in the conversation. I initially thought your name was Bertie until he corrected me. You are an enigma, Shin of Nohr. Your armour is undoubtably of the west but your face is so very Hoshidan.”

Shiro remained silent and just swallowed hard. Nothing got past this guy apparently, and he vaguely wondered what life would have been like with someone who appeared to be so strict in it.

Ryoma stood up. “I take my leave. But.” He paused and this time his gazed dropped to floor to Shiro’s surprise. It was almost like something was troubling him. “Should you ever want to converse, know that I am here for you.”

Ryoma went to leave, Shiro felt his stomach turn, it was now or never. “Wait!” he said. “…Please…” Ryoma stopped and looked over his shoulder as Shiro stuttered out, “Would you… I mean… can you… you, if you want to and if you have time, I mean I know you’re like really important and majorly busy, but… but…”

Ryoma’s face gave nothing away.

Shiro swallowed. “Can you show me? I mean… show me how to use a katana?”

Ryoma looked surprised for a minute, but then nodded. “Very well. Although, it will be quite different from any Nohrian weapon and it may not be useful to you. And I will warn you now - I have no time for time wasters.”

“That’s fine,” said Shiro breathlessly.

“Very well,” said Ryoma. “I will meet you in the training tower at first light. Do not be late.”

He didn’t wait for a response and left; Shiro watched his retreating back, fighting the grin that threatening to appear on his face.

***

Shiro pretty much skipped back to his room - some quality time training with Prince Ryoma! He wasn’t quite ready to drop the particular bombshell regarding the sword just yet so he’d need to go and get a plain katana from the armoury before the morning… perhaps Siegbert could help with picking one out. Siegbert! Shiro couldn't wait to tell him what happened. He got to the door to his room and swung it open - “Hey Bertie, guess what…!”

He was greeted with silence - “Bertie?” said Shiro as he walked into his room - there was no sound - not in the dressing area or the bathing rooms. Siegbert was still not there and Shiro wondered if he should go and look for him, before noticing a folded paper on top of Siegbert’s bedspread. He’d been so wrapped up in his own issues all day he hadn’t seen it before - how long had it been there?

Shiro unfolded the paper, worry forming his mind and nausea bubbling in his gut. His hand flew to his mouth as he read the neat script.

_Shiro,_

_I am so sorry. I really do understand your own issues but I have not been able to put mine to the side. I can’t stand the idea of fighting against Prince Xander, not when I have so many questions, so I’m going to travel to the Emblian camp to speak with him._

_I know this will be difficult but please try to understand. I meant what I said when I said you were family - and even though we have only known each other a short time, you have been the best friend I’ve ever had. For that reason, I hope our paths will not put us in conflict as I do not want to fight against you._

_Please find it in your heart to heart to forgive me if I have caused you distress._

_Your friend,_

_Bertie_

Shiro felt his legs give way before he collapsed on to the edge his bed, his hands shaking as he tried to comprehend the letter he had just read. “I need to tell the Commander” he whispered aloud to no-one. Then the adrenaline kicked in and he bolted from the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The ending is kind of obvious but oh well, Bertie will eventually get some time in the sun. 
> 
> Trivia: In earlier drafts of this chapter, Siegbert and Shiro were going to run into Seliph and they were going to have a big bonding moment regarding dead fathers that inspired the Fates children to speak to their own. Unfortunately I couldn't make it work, so this is what I went with - although Sigurd does still make a cameo! 
> 
> If you've gotten this far, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any thoughts let me know what you think, it is always very helpful!


	3. The Crown Prince of Nohr

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Prince Alfonse has a surprise visitor. We find out what happened to Siegbert, as he ponders his life and current choices.

_“Following the devolution of Cheve and signing of the Mokushu-Kohga Accord, the formal peace treaty after the war was sealed by the marriage of Princess Camilla of Nohr to King Ryoma of Hoshido and the marriage of Princess Hinoka of Hoshido to King Xander of Nohr. Although both marriages were said to be purely political by all parties involved, they were both fruitful and happy; the Kings were said to love their respective Queens dearly with their feelings reciprocated by their beloveds. A great era of prosperity followed for Hoshido under the rule of King Ryoma, and the many political and economic reforms introduced by King Xander paved the foundation for a rejuvenated and re-energised Nohr.”_

The book had been an interesting and at times heavy read, but Alfonse was glad that he was finally done with this particular version of the Hoshidan/Nohrian war. He couldn’t say what exactly had caused him to pick up this particular volume when he had found it in the library, but he had been thinking a lot of about Siegbert and Shinonome a lot since he had deduced their true identities and discovered their back stories.

When he had joined the Order of Heroes he had convinced himself that he was doing the right thing: that he was leaving a comfortable life behind and defending Askr as a true crown prince should, but also, perhaps selfishly, feeding his own curiosity about other worlds. But he had allowed himself to be hurt, and to open himself up to the suffering of others, and he felt it keenly. After what had happened with Zacharias, he had promised himself that he was not going to get involved too deeply with any of the visiting Heroes again… but it was hard staying detached and the tale of Bertie and Shin tugged on his soul. He wanted to help both of them somehow - even if it was just the smallest of hints and pouring over history books seemed to be the best way he knew.

At least, in the tome he had just finished, they had a happy ending. He wondered what they would both think, if he had been able to communication the knowledge he had. If they knew that they could have had such different and comfortable lives and would they would be embittered by it? Would they begrudge those that had taken it from them or would they be philosophical about it…?

He hoped they would take the philosophical route, but was distracted from further thought on the subject by a series of sharp knocks at his door. Alfonse took care to place the book on his desk and put it under a pile of papers on his desk, hiding the title, before he bid his guest enter. To his great surprise, it was Prince Ryoma that walked through the door.

“Good evening, Prince Alfonse.” He nodded his head in greeting. “I am sorry to disturb you at this late hour.”

Alfonse shook his head. “No problem at all, Prince Ryoma. As Commander Anna said at the arrival ceremony, if there is anything you need at any time, we are happy to provide it.”

Ryoma’s mouth curved upwards slightly into the smallest of smiles but his eyes could not hide a troubled look. He seemed to take in Alfonse’s surroundings for a moment then nodded at the books and papers on his desk, “Working late I see. Something I have been guilty of many a time.”

Alfonse did his best to shrug nonchalantly. “I just get carried away reading sometimes… you know how it goes when you find a good book.”

Ryoma let out a small laugh, and said wistfully, “You sound a little bit like my youngest brother. I often have to chase him out of the library.” His expression faded into something that was harder to read. “I digress.”

He paced the little room until he stopped by the window, and gazed out of it, arms folded in front of him and got straight to the point. “I spoke with Shin, as you suggested.”  
  
Alfonse inhaled through his mouth but Ryoma did not register or hear his reaction, or appeared not to anyway. Alfonse had a great view of the Askr gardens from his private rooms and at night they were illuminated by fireflies and other natural wonders - it was quite a sight to behold and easy to get lost in when something played on his mind - something that had happened to Ryoma right at this moment. In that moment Alfonse wondered which of him they had summoned.

So far, he had read about many versions of the High Prince’s life - sometimes he lived to an old age, sometimes he died in the prime of his youth - but they were yet to find out more about the broken incarnation that Siegbert had described. The man in his room did not seem to be consumed by grief or anger or hate… perhaps this Ryoma was at the crossroads, yet to have his ultimate fate decided.

Ryoma broke the quiet that had fallen between them as Alfonse turned over his thoughts. “He is an interesting young man.”

“Yes,” said Alfonse, coming back to the present. “He’s quite a character.”

Ryoma hummed and then cleared his throat, and turned his head slightly to look at Alfonse. The tone of his next question was direct and straight to the point. “I realise that you need to be discreet, but are you _sure_ there is nothing else you can tell me about him?”

Alfonse shook his head. “I’m sorry, Prince Ryoma. That’s not something I am able to do without serious consequence. The rules of the Order are very strict and even I, as a Prince of Askr, cannot break them.”

“I see,” was all Ryoma replied evenly, as his gaze then returned the scene outside the window.

The High Prince then sighed heavily at his words, and Alfonse thought he the troubled look he had worn when he his entered his room had returned. He felt like he might regret the next question, but it would be polite to ask anyway. “Is something the matter?”

“It is probably nothing. Forgive me Prince Alfonse - I know we are safe here in Askr castle but it is difficult for me to let me guard down… and I’m not really one to let things go easily anyway. It’s just that, well - he was difficult to talk to, in so far that he kept running away, like I was somehow familiar to him. In truth, I found it hard too, as he reminds me of someone I used to know very well and I wondered it if could be him…” His voice trailed off.

“Oh,” said Alfonse. He didn’t know if he should say anything else, but Ryoma continued talking and he wasn’t sure if he was being addressed or not. “Still, I must be mistaken. I can’t think of any reason that he would dress in Nohrian clothing, or ask me of all people how to use a blade. He was quite the warrior… he would not need to seek guidance from me, and he would not know me at that age…”

The high prince caught himself at the end of the sentence and fell quiet. “It appears I need to meditate some more, Prince Alfonse. Forgive my rambling, it is unbecoming of my station.”

Alfonse smiled, although he felt awkward. “It’s really no problem.” Something had caught his attention in Ryoma’s musing though and he couldn’t help himself but to want to ask the question about who he thought Shin was - or he would have, had he not been startled by a loud commotion outside his door. The disturbance had also drawn Ryoma’s attention and he was now facing the door, his posture visibly ready to spring.

Alfonse opened the door, just in time for Shin to practically fall through the frame. He stumbled and then grunted, before composing himself somewhat, but he appeared to be rather distressed. He waved a piece of paper straight in Alfonse’s face, pointing at it quite energetically. He practically tumbled over his words, his eyes wide in panic. “Bertie’s-gone-to-Embla-we-gonna-go-find-him-and-save-him!!!!”

 

*****

 

_“That’s it! Swing it up, then round over your head and down… watch your feet…”_

_He was practicing with his naginata, showing what he had learned… but he had stumbled and tripped. “I’m sorry Mother,” he said quietly. “I really promised I practiced like you told me.”_

_But he need not have worried - she simply smiled at him and affectionately ruffled his red curls and they stuck up at odd angles. He returned her affection with a smile of his own._

_“I know, I can tell. No need to worry, you’re getting really good at this Bertie! Why don’t you try again?” She picked up her own weapon. “Here, I’ll do it with you so if you get confused, you can watch me.”_

 

He was finally coming around - he thought he had been dreaming: he was small again and training with his mother - but now Siegbert’s head hurt, and he rubbed his eyes and groaned a little. Thoughts about his mother continued to linger - she had always been very clear that he needed to stay away from trouble and not draw attention to himself.

Her voice flashed in his head, along with another memory, after he had rushed off once to defend her. _“Don’t run off like that again, Bertie.” Her expression had become sad, but she had tried her best to hide her sadness and smile at him and she stroked his curls down. “If I lost you, it would break me.”_

Normally, he did shy away from attention, he wasn’t naturally fond of it. But occasionally he did also feel pangs of restlessness and the urge to prove himself, to hone his skills and get better as a person. All so he could help to unburden his beautiful, fierce mother, a woman whose strength was unparalleled in his eyes - and to truly become the son she deserved. She said she was always so proud of him, but right now Siegbert was sure she’d be nothing but disappointed.

He did not have the chance to dwell on that though, as he was disturbed by another voice, one that was actually in the room. He was not alone.

“You’re lucky that we found you first. You might not have come off so well, had Sir Valter been the one to encountered you.”

The voice was female and neutral - and it sounded neither angry or annoyed. Perhaps bemused more than anything. What was going on?

His head was still a little fuzzy but he tried to take and make sense of his current surroundings. He definitely wasn’t in Askr anymore so he assumed this must be Embla, but couldn’t be sure. Looking around, he noted he was bound in a bar fronted cell. In the distance, he could just about make out the shape of his captor but she was stood in shadow and difficult to see. He was chained to the wall, bound by his foot but the chain had plenty of slack and the length of the binding allowed plenty of movement. He was currently lying on something like a very low, hard bed and opposite that was a table and chair. On the table sat a medium sized bowl, and in the far corner of the cell along was another bowl, but this time it was on the floor. Perhaps it was a chamber pot? All things considered, his accommodation wasn’t as dingy as he expected it be, in fact it was almost comfortable considering he was now a prisoner.

The woman continued to talk. “It’s not everyday that someone gets the best of Navarre. You have quite the skill.” The voice adopted a note that Siegbert thought might have been something that might have been curious admiration. “Who taught you?”

“My mother,” was all he dared to say.

The woman’s voice became warm, and Siegbert could almost hear a smile. “She sounds like quite a lady.”

“She is,” replied Siegbert. “Wh-what happened? Where am I?”

“You’re currently in Castle Embla. And you really don’t remember? I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to hit as hard as I did.”

Ignoring the dull ache that was now coursing through his skull, Siegbert tried to think and the events that had lead to his current predicament started to reform in his mind.

He had tried to be selfless as possible through all of Shiro’s attempts to communicate with Prince Ryoma but as watched his cousin try and fail to communicate with his father, the own longing to find and talk to Prince Xander in Siegbert’s heart had grown too much for him to bear. Knowing that Shiro would try and stop him if he had told him what he wanted to do, he had resolved to get Shiro as out of the way as possible before taking his naginata and his father’s sword and setting off for Embla.

He felt guilty for deceiving his friend in such a way - some of the tribe members where he had grown up had rumbled more than once that there was nothing more naturally dishonest than a Nohrian. Siegbert had tried to ignore them, and he had to but still - he had been raised in Hoshido and viewed himself as Hoshidan but at the same time he was undeniably half Nohrian, and blood of the dusk dragon, as well as the dawn, pumped through his veins.

It was something he had spent many hours thinking about every time he did something that might have been considered uncouth by Hoshidan standards. Not that he had too much experience with Nohrian culture, but maybe the nature of the dusk dragon was just too much for nurture alone to overcome. Perhaps the tribes were right after all.

He had made good progress to the Emblan camp before stopping for a break to rest and gather his thoughts. When he was in Askr Castle, it seemed easy to just approach the front lines and ask for an audience with Prince Xander but the further away he got from camp, the less sensible that seemed. What would he even say to him? Would Prince Xander even want to talk him? It was then he heard a russle in the quiet and a man in red had leap out of him. Bertie barely had time to grab his naginata but he managed to do it by the skin of his teeth, and blocked the savage blow that threatened to cut him down. Remembering the countless hours training he had spent training with Mother, he fought off the man in red, and even managed to disarm him. He remembered feeling proud of himself for a moment, but then there was a whoosh, and he felt light, and then everything went black.

“Who are you and why did you spare me?” he asked.

“My name is Robin,” said the woman very calmly. “I am the tactician for Princess Veronica. There were two reasons mostly. Firstly, you’re still very young and I find the Askr habit of deploying youngsters as part of their army distasteful, let alone killing them.” Siegbert did his best not to look indignant. Surely he did not look _that_ young? He was practically a grown man by Hoshidan standards and he was somewhat taller than his mother these days.

“But more importantly,” continued Robin, “We need to know what you did to Prince Xander.”

“Wha…? I don’t understand, I haven’t done anything to him,” said Siegbert, feeling the panic rising within in. Then it struck him - he had been knocked unconscious and taken to his cell. He had been disarmed and he no longer had his naginata and…

His hand automatically reached to his back to touch the divine blade he had wrapped and bound to his back when he had set off from Askr. Instead, he found only air - Siegfried was gone, and Siegbert suddenly felt his chest go very tight as he let out an involuntarily strangled gasp of panic.

“But there must be a reason you have his sword,” said Robin. “And a reason it looks so… beaten up.”

Siegbert had no words. Instead, he buried his head in his arms. This really was a fool’s errand and he was an idiot for thinking that it would just be simple to walk into Embla and have tea with a warrior as mighty and important as the Crown Prince of Nohr.

She must have noticed his distress. “Look,” she said, not unkindly. “I can tell you’re not a bad person. And perhaps once you’ve told me everything I can help find you a place in the ranks, if you really want to help Embla assuming that's why you came here. But… you need to understand that Prince Xander is one of Princess Veronica’s most trusted generals. A favourite, if you want to call it that. She’ll be upset if something happened to him, and if you want to get out of here in one piece, your best bet is to tell me what happened to him. Tell me who you are, and what you did and I can help you.”

Siegbert looked up at his captor, during their conversation she had moved closer to his cell and he could see her more clearly now. She had white hair, tied into the twin tails, and wore a large black coat with a strange pattern that reminded him of an eye - and her expression, although unreadable, certainly did not remind him of someone who would be cruel for the sake of being cruel. “Why should I trust you?” he said quietly and slowly. “How do I know you won’t just kill me?”

A small bemused smile crept over Robin’s lips as she looked at him “You have little choice but to trust me. And believe me, if I wanted you dead we would not be having this conversation.”

Siegbert swallowed hard. She was right. He was very much in a pickle: he was bound and had no weapons, so the lady in front of him was his best bet at getting away. “You can call me Bertie,” he said, not ready to give up all of his secrets. “And I promise, I did not take Siegfried from Prince Xander. I came with the sword to this land… I-I didn’t ask for or want the blade, it just came to me…”

Robin nodded slowly. “I see. Carry on, Bertie. You have my attention.”

***

It had been a difficult skirmish, but finally after a hard fought victory he had been able to return and now to report to the Princess. As he rode through the gates and through the Embla Castle yard, he watched another platoon as it prepared to head off.

“Ho, Lord Xander! Good to see you’re in one piece.” Xander looked up and saw Sir Camus ride over and approach him - no doubt he was leading this newest advance.

“Of course,” said Xander. “The Askrians are sorely mistaken should they think me easy to challenge.”

Camus laughed. “Yes, and good that we were able to recover your blade so quickly for you.”

Xander tilted his head in confusion. “You must be mistaken, my friend. Siegfried is ever at my side.” He reached to his side and grabbed the hilt, to prove the point.

That caused Camus to frown in confusion. “Did you encounter any Hoshidans in your last engagement?”

“None,” replied Xander.

“I see,” said Camus. “My friend, we were concerned for your wellbeing. Mistress Robin and Master Navarre returned earlier this day with a captive come from Askr. He was heading towards to castle, dressed in the clothing of Hoshidan spear warrior, but he carried a concealed blade on his back. That blade… we were certain was your own. It looks exactly like it, and it is certainly bound by some power as none of us were able to unsheathe it.”

Xander felt concerned. “That is not possible… Siegfried is a sacred Nohrian heirloom that only…” he trailed off. “Is the Princess aware of the captive?”  
“No,” said Camus. “Mistress Robin wanted to question him before we concerned the Princess.” He paused before adding. “He can’t be more than a teenager, barely a man grown.”

“Where is the captive now?” said Xander with an increasing degree of urgency.

“She has him in her wing for questioning.”

Xander nodded at Camus in thanks. “I am grateful, my friend, I will join the questioning immediately. Gods be with you as you ride.”

Camus returned Xander’s nod and then nudged his horse to move off, while Xander swiftly took his horse to the stables. Handing the reins over to a stable hand, he commanded his forward captain not to tell Princess Veronica of his return. Not yet any way - before he debriefed her, he wanted to see the boy Camus had described, and he headed with determination to Robin’s wing, Siegfried strapped well and truly to his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that Bertie didn't get to speak to his Papa this chapter - but it just didn't feel right to have him walk straight into Embla without anything happening to him. I head canon that the Grand Heroes chose to fight with Veronica even once their contract was broken (even F!Robin) and are are high ranking members of her army. 
> 
> Also hope that I managed to do some justice to Hinoka this chapter. (Apparently the tag 'Hinoka & Siegbert' doesn't exist, neither does 'Xander & Siegbert'. I hope I'm wrong)
> 
> Fingers also crossed that I managed to get all of the typos and grammar this time as well.
> 
> In case anyone missed it in the comments (and is interested), there is some meta for the extended worlds that Bertie and Shin come from here [here](https://flutterbatwrites.tumblr.com/post/169515954019/thorn-in-your-fate-some-meta).
> 
> As always, any thoughts or questions are very welcome!

**Author's Note:**

> I started writing his a few weeks ago after I saw a comic where Conquest!Sakura meets Birthright!Takumi and Revelation!Ryoma in Askr and breaks down, and this plot bunny began to form. Then I saw they were going to add some Fates kids to the Heroes game so I thought I would finish this up before they are added, so here we are. I hope someone out there likes it!
> 
> There are probably more questions than answers at this point but I don't plan on adding any more chapters to this. If anyone if interested in the nuances of the worlds Siegbert and Shiro come from, I am happy to expand.


End file.
